Imitators of Christ

Romans 8:28-30 CEB

We know that God works all things together for good for the ones who love God, for those who are called according to his purpose. We know this because God knew them in advance, and he decided in advance that they would be conformed to the image of his Son. That way his Son would be the first of many brothers and sisters. Those who God decided in advance would be conformed to his Son, he also called. Those whom he called, he also made righteous. Those whom he made righteous, he also glorified.

Some scholars believe the book of Job is the oldest book in the Bible in terms of when it was written. If so, it shows that one of our greatest misunderstandings of how God works in the world has been with humankind for a long time. Job’s friends appeared to believe that God caused Job’s problems because Job had not been faithful. People today often believe that God causes bad things to happen to us as punishment, and he causes good things as a reward in what’s known as the Prosperity Gospel.

But that’s not what the Bible says. It says that God takes whatever happens to us and works it for good for those called according to his purpose.

I think of it this way: Sometimes an academic organization puts out a “call for papers.” They invite anyone willing to write a paper on a certain topic that will follow a set of guidelines to submit such a paper. Those who conform to the guidelines the editors decided in advance are thus called. Those who meet the guidelines get accepted. Here’s what they DON’T do, though: they don’t decide in advance they will reject Donn King’s submission no matter what he writes or that Bobby Joe Tom Billy Useless will get published no matter how badly he writes.

God decided in advance that Jesus would be the model, and he calls us to follow. And no matter how bad things get, God uses those things to help those following Jesus for ultimate good. It doesn’t mean everything will be velvet roads and gentle streams, but, as Maya Angelou allegedly said, “God don’t waste pain.”

Would you pray with me?

Dear God, you have not promised us a life of ease, just as Jesus did not live such a life. But thank you for Jesus to lead the way, to show us how to deal with our pain through putting our trust in you. Strengthen us with the certainty of your presence and the promise of good coming from what happens to us. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

This devotional was written and read by Donn King.

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